Cultured Salted Carmel Vanilla Cheesecake
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Your eyes are the window to your soul, your smile is a welcome mat to the world, and a healthy gut is quite literally the epicenter of your mental and physical health. Eighty percent of your entire immune system is located in your digestive tract!
The Enteric Nervous System, or ENS, is what scientists are calling the 100 million or so nerve cells that line the entirety of your gastrointestinal tract. (1) Now come on… you just have to find this as amazing as I do.
One of the many things that we can do to take care of our delicate tummies is to feed them good probiotics and prebiotics. And trust me, there are so many wonderful ways to sneak them into our everyday foods. I have touched based on probiotics and prebio Plus in other recipes, but I feel it is important to repeat myself for those who may be new here and/or to the understanding of what they are.
Probiotics (optional)
- Broken down, the word probiotic means “for life” or “promoting life.” Probiotics hold the key not just for better health and a stronger immune system, but also for healing digestive issues.
- When culturing ANY food, it is vital to use sterile utensils and bowls, to avoid bad bacteria from forming. If you see any mold, whether fuzzy, black, or pinkish… toss it. This usually indicates that something you used was contaminated.
- I added a link down below as to which brand I use.
Prebio Plus (optional)
- I am not new to using probiotics in my recipes, but I recently started adding in prebiotics. Adding a prebiotic (which is food for your bacteria) will make the good bacteria grow like crazy and supercharge your probiotics. They are just as important as probiotics, and you should use them together. Prebiotics naturally occur in all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and some nuts and other foods.
- Eating cultured probiotic foods adds colonies of bacteria to your gut. Adding prebiotics to your diet makes these colonies grow and grow, crowds out pathogens, and helps to re-establish the balance of good bacteria in strong numbers. Essentially, prebiotics serve as fertilizer for the bacteria in your colon. This can help strengthen your immune system to resist infections and viruses. It also helps to remove toxins and a host of other things that your bacteria is designed to do. But if you don’t have the healthy strains of good bacteria from cultured foods, as well as the prebiotics to make them grow, your gut flora can’t change into what it needs to be. (1)
Tips and Techniques
- The culturing step and the adding of prebiotic powder are completely optional, but I highly recommend it. Click (here) to learn what foods contain prebiotics. It’s time to take our foods to another level of healing!
- When creating this cheesecake, you can use any shape pan that you want. Make one or more cheesecakes, depending on the size of the pan.
As I wrap up, I just want to go on record saying that this cheesecake is amazing! The creamy cultured filling pairs beautifully with the rich caramel top layer. I hope you enjoy this recipe. Please leave a comment below. Many blessings, amie sue
Ingredients:
Yields 9″ Springform pan
Crust:
- 1 cup (95 g) dried shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup (57 g) gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/4 cup (34 g) ground flax seeds
- 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
- 6 (117 g) large Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Culturing step:
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked 2+ hours
- 1 3/4 cups coconut milk (fresh or canned)
- 1 tsp probiotic powder
- 2 scoops prebiotic powder (optional)
Add in after culturing:
- 1 cup cold-pressed coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp liquid NuNaturals stevia
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
Topping:
Preparation:
Crust
- Assemble a Springform pan with the bottom facing up, the opposite way from how it comes assembled.
- This will help you when removing the cheesecake from the pan, not having to fight with the lip.
- Wrap the base with plastic wrap. This will make it easier to remove the pie when done… unless you plan on serving the cake on the bottom of the pan.
- In the food processor, fitted with the “S” blade, pulse the coconut, oats, ground flax, and salt together.
- Add the dates, coconut oil, and vanilla. Process until the dough sticks together.
- Depending on your machine, you may need to stop the unit and scrape down the sides during this process.
- If the dates are really dry, rehydrate them in water, draining them before adding to the dough.
- Test the dough by pinching it between your fingers. If it holds, it is ready.
- Distribute the crust evenly on the bottom of the pan, using gentle pressure.
- If you press too hard, it might really stick to the base of the pan, making it hard to remove slices.
- You can either just make the crust on the bottom of the pan or you can also bring it up the sides (depending on the size of the pan you use). Double the recipe for larger pans.
- Click (here) to learn how to create different crust forms.
- Set aside while you make the cheesecake batter.
Culturing Step
- Drain the soaked cashews and discard the soak water. Place in a high-speed blender.
- Culture the cashews, coconut milk, probiotic and prebiotic powders by blending them together in a high powdered blender.
- Blend until the filling is creamy smooth. You shouldn’t detect any grit. If you do, keep blending.
- This process can take 2-4 minutes, depending on the strength of the blender. Keep your hand cupped around the base of the blender carafe to feel for warmth. If the filling is getting too warm, stop the machine and let it cool. Then proceed once cooled.
- If you have a lower-end blender model, add the probiotics last so you don’t damage them with heat.
- Pour into a glass bowl, cover, and set on the countertop to culture for 24 +/- hours. The culturing time frame can vary depending on how warm it is in the house.
- You can speed up the culturing process by placing the bowl in the cavity of your dehydrator (Excalibur), setting it on the lowest temp. Check after 6 hours and continue until it reaches a tangy taste.
Filling Completion after Culturing Step
- In a high-powered blender combine the cultured cashew cream, coconut oil, sweeteners, lemon, vanilla, and salt.
- You can use a different liquid sweetener if you are not comfortable with maple syrup and/or stevia. Just be aware of the different flavors and colors that the sweetener might impart.
- Immediately pour the filling into the pan.
- Gently tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Chill in the freezer for 4-6 hours or until firm enough to add the caramel topping.
- Spread the caramel over the cheesecake and place it in the freezer overnight and then in the fridge for 12 hours. Leave in the freezer if you are making this in advance for a gathering.
- For decoration, I placed shredded chocolate in the center of the cheesecake.
- Store the cheesecake in the fridge for 3-5 days or up to 3 months in the freezer. Be sure that it is well sealed to avoid fridge odors.
- How to slice a cake. Click here.
© AmieSue.com
Tags: Cultured, Gluten Free, No Dehydration Required, Vegan
You are a true artist! We eat with our eyes. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your creations!!!
Michele
Why thank you Rawmitch. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, that you LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my creations. hehe Just being silly. Thanks for the wonderful comment and have a blessed day. amie sue
Thanks so much for all of the information and links! I just put in an order for that prebiotic powder you recommended! I can’t wait for it to get here! I think I will start working on this recipe today without it though because I’m so excited about it! <3
Hello Lucy! So nice to hear from you.. over here. :)
I look forward to hearing about your review. I don’t think I will be making raw cheesecakes anymore without going through the culturing process… it’s too tasty and important for our health. Have a wonderful weekend. Blessings, amie sue
Hi Amie sue ,
Thank you ever so much for this recipe! Lordy, it was an absolute hit amongst my friends👍😋💖. I asked if any one wanted more and all hands went up🙋🏻🌟. I have made another using lime rather than lemon for which a few friends requested a fruit topping . Evidently this group , while raving about the filling and crust wants to adventure into new territory. Good for all of us😊
So excited am I about this ” Yumminess of Goodness” that I have gone ahead and made a cultured cashew , macadamia & coconut nut milk filling for our next gathering . I personally am craving for a chocolate/ coffee flavor and need some help when adding the next batch of ingredients to finish the filling . Do I also need to have the lemon juice if I want to make this cultured one a cacao/coffee flavored filling? Chemistry-wise is lemon/lime needed? ..my brain says the lemon will clash with the chocolate/ coffee. . Any substitutes ?
Good morning and thank you so much for sharing your experience with this cheesecake. I love culturing cheesecakes now and won’t go back… unless I have someone who is sensitive to probiotics due to health issues. You could use this same culturing process for any of my cheesecakes.
Oh, you wish to try a cultured chocolate/coffee one? It just so happens that I already have a recipe on the site for that: Cultured Mocha Cheesecake – https://nouveauraw.com/raw-recipes/cheesecakes/cultured-mocha-cheesecake-raw-vegan-gluten-free/
I hope this is what you are looking for. Just let me know. :) Have a blessed and happy day, amie sue
Amie sue, Thanks for getting back to me. Your suggested Mocha cheesecake looks divine :) I see that lemon juice is included in the filling, so I shall follow your recipe with one minor change… substituting drops of Medicine Flower coffee for the instant. Will let you know how quickly it gets gobbled up. :D Totally affirming : a joyous Gobbling event it shall be.
Good morning Amie sue,
I did a sample texting for using the Medicinal Flower coffee flavoring and will not be using in the filling. Instead, perhaps, it may used as part of a “mocha” frosting for the cheesecake….we will see/taste :D
Lesson learning is still going on: I feel we did not blend the cashew/macadamia/coconut long enough and now that the culturing process has been completed(2 days ago, sitting in fridge waiting to add in the 2nd half of filling recipe) I feel it would be detrimental to go back to the Vita mixer for more blending prior to phase 2..Perhaps just blend longer as i add the coconut oil ?will this kill the the probiotics? What do you think ???
Promise to let you go after this :D
p.s without the Mocha frosting I really like the concept of your rasberry or blackberries cheesecakes
I am sorry that I didn’t to this this morning. You just want to make sure that the probiotics don’t get too warm, so you can reblend but keep a close eye on it, you don’t want to undo all the amazing nutrient dense work that you did. :) Always make sure that when you make the cashew blend, that is it grain free before you move on to the culturing step… as you learned. Every day is a learning process. hehe I hope this helps, blessings. amie sue
Sounds good (may I ask your name?) Please keep me posted on how it turns out. umm yummy! Blessings, amie sue
Hi Amie sue,
Apologies for my tardy reply.. i took a momentary break from cheese cake making while enjoying the results of making crackers and dips recipes you have taught .
Going forward I have re blended the filling and am dividing it up into to silicone cupcake holders using a variety of your suggested crusts. Thank heavens for the fun of friends who are here to share in the process of creating for this Holiday Season’s Yummies. Busy finger-lick’n Elves are we !😋
Thank You Mrs Claus for all your Tasty-tasty ideas you create and encouraging us to experiment with these, ourselves😄
Blessing of 2016 Holiday Cheer for you & Bob, Amie sue🎄
With Joy, Wendy
Thank you sweet Wendy. :) It sounds like you are enjoying the holiday season… happy to hear that. Sending you love and blessings for you and your loved ones during this wonderful season. Blessings, amie sue :)
Hi Amie Sue, have you ever made this without culturing? I ask because I’m looking for something to make in the morning (and your recipes are the best!) for a friend’s birthday and I don’t have probiotic capsules. Thanks so much!
Oh yes for sure. You can skip that process. The culturing adds a little tang (as you can imagine) and of course, the added nutrients are a bonus but again, you can skip the process. You could take any of my raw cheesecake recipes and culture them or not. Thank you for the sweet words. I am glad you enjoy the recipes! That warms my heart. And what a blessing to make it for your friend! :) amie sue
I’m smiling thinking of you. I’ve enjoyed seeing your Facebook posts of your beautiful property and how incredibly industrious you are. Anyway, thanks again Amie Sue. I so appreciate you.
I am so thankful that we can still be in communication while I am on my sabbatical. Of course, I will always be here to answer and respond to comments but we also have FB to keep in touch with. You are a blessing in my life. hugs. amie sue